When Sparks Fly
by StBridget
Summary: Against his better judgment, Steve lets Chin and Kono set him up on a blind date. Danny is not what he expected. AU Vampire!Steve Werewolf!Danny McDanno, eventual smut.
1. Chapter 1

**Hawaii Five-0 is property of CBS and its creators  
**

 **Rated M for eventual smut (but not for a while)**

 **Based on the prompt: After decades of loneliness, the immortal agreed to a blind date.**

 **A/N: This is my first AU where I'm completely off canon. I have a different first meeting (Taking the Cake), and I have a CSI Nick/Greg where Greg is a nymph at a crime scene but the rest is canon (Bound), but this is the first where I've pretty much started from scratch. Hope you like it!**

"I'm sorry, you what?!" Steve McGarrett said, incredulously. When he met his friend Kono Kalakaua and her cousin Chin Ho Kelly for their once-a-week dinner at Kamekona's shrimp truck, this was not what he was expecting.

"I set you up on a date," Kono replied, casually. She popped a garlic shrimp in her mouth as if this statement didn't set Steve's world on its ear.

"Why would you do that?" The vampire demanded of the young witch.

"You need to get out, meet people," Kono replied.

"I do get out," Steve protested.

"Dinner once a week with me and Chin doesn't count," Kono said. "We don't even go to different places. We always meet here."

"Sure it does," Steve insisted. He turned to Chin. "Tell her it counts. And why should we go anyplace else? Kamekona's is one of the most popular places in Honolulu. It's not like I care about food, anyway." Steve could eat, but he didn't have to, and he got no enjoyment out of food. These weekly dinners were about companionship more than anything else.

Chin barely paused in eating his meal. "Actually, I agree with Kono," Chin said. "In fact, I'm the one who suggested it."

Steve glared at the psychic. "Traitor. You of all people should be on my side. You're always telling Kono to mind her own business and not meddle."

Chin was unphased, continuing to eat his shrimp. "Look at it this way, you'd be doing me a favor."

"How do you figure?" Steve asked.

"The date's with my partner," Chin explained. "You've been on Oahu a few years, know your way around. My partner doesn't. And, you both meet someone new. Win-win." Chin was a detective with HPD. Steve remembered he'd gotten a new partner recently. What was it Chin had said about him? Oh, yeah. . .

"Your _partner_?" Steve said. "That loud-mouthed haole detective from New Jersey you're always going on about? The one who transferred from, where was it?—Newark PD I think you said?"

"That's the one," Chin confirmed.

"He's male!" Steve practically shouted.

"So?" Kono asked.

Steve gaped at her. How could she be so blasé about this? "So, I'm not interested in males!"

"Ah, come on," Kono said. "Give him a chance. Why are you so hung up on heterosexual societal norms, anyway? You're 200 years old. You should be beyond that."

"250," Steve corrected. "And the last time I dated was during the Victorian era. In England. I apologize if that makes me 'hung up on heterosexual societal norms'." Steve added air quotes for emphasis.

Kono gestured at her capri pants and halter-top with her fork, a shrimp perched precariously on it. Steve watched in fascination, expecting the shrimp to go flying any minute. "So, you think my dressing like this is obscene, then?"

"No, of course not," Steve said. "It's how women dress these days."

"Exactly," Kono said as if that explained everything.

It most certainly did not explain everything as far as Steve was concerned. "I don't see how what women wear relates to whether or not I want to date a man."

Chin broke in to try to soothe the upset vampire. "I think you should just give him a chance. Who knows, you might get along famously."

Steve eyed him suspiciously, fairly certain there was something the psychic cop wasn't saying. "You didn't happen to have a vision about us, did you?"

Chin had the good grace to look slightly uncomfortable. "I may have. Not a big one. Just a flash, really."

"Uh-huh," Steve said. "And what did this flash show you?"

"Not much. Just you and he meeting."

Steve was pretty sure Chin wasn't telling him everything. "And just what happened at this meeting?"

"There may have been some sparks flying," Chin admitted. "I just think it would be a good idea for you to meet," Chin said.

Steve sighed, resigned. "Fine. Send me the details."

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Steve drummed his fingers on the table impatiently as he waited for his date. What was his name again? Oh, yeah, Danny. He should know that by now—Chin talked about him often enough, but he usually just referred to him as "my partner" (Chin wasn't crass enough to call him a haole, unlike, apparently, most of the rest of HPD). Steve looked at his watch as he waved the hovering waiter off for the third time. Danny was 20 minutes late. Steve wondered how long he had to stick around before he could leave without seeming rude.

Just as Steve was about to leave, a blond whirlwind stormed into the restaurant and marched up to the host's station. "I'm here for McGarrett," he said in a loud voice. The host gestured vaguely in Steve's direction. Danny turned and followed the pointing finger, blue eyes locking with Steve's hazel. Recognition hit Steve immediately, and he knew Danny felt it, too. The blond waved off the host's attempt to escort him and stalked towards Steve like a large predator bearing down on its hapless prey. Steve rose to meet him. Danny may be a predator, but so was Steve. The vampire was most definitely _not_ prey. Chin was right; sparks were going to fly. Steve didn't think this was the kind of sparks the other man was referring to, however.

Danny stopped inches from Steve. The detective was a good six inches shorter than the vampire, but the other man's presence made him seem much larger than he was. Steve was unimpressed, staring stonily at the shorter man, arms crossed, radiating an air of hostility.

Danny refused to be intimidated, meeting Steve's gaze unflinchingly and mirroring the taller man's pose. After a few minutes of staring, both blinked at the same time and spoke in unison.

"You're a werewolf!" Steve said, just as Danny said "You're a vampire!"

"What was Chin thinking?!" Danny continued, waving his hands vigorously. "Why would he think I'd want to meet some crazy bloodsucker?"

"You think I'm happy?" Steve snapped. "Kono didn't tell me she was setting me up with an overgrown furball!" Surprisingly, that hadn't come up in Chin's tales of his partner, either. Maybe Danny wasn't out? The Supernatural races like vamps and weres were known, but not everybody accepted them, so many of them chose to keep a low profile, not revealing their nature. Still, most police departments were eager to have weres on the force—their heightened since of smell in particular was highly useful in narcotics and missing persons cases-so it was likely Chin knew of his partner's, um, _disposition_. Steve had a sneaky suspicion part of the reason Chin hadn't mentioned it was to stave off just this reaction.

Danny flopped gracelessly into the chair across from Steve. "Great, just great. Now what do we do?"

Steve sat back down as well, but he was still on alert. Danny may look relaxed, but Steve didn't trust him not to attack like a rapid, well, wolf. Vamps and werewolves did not get along, to put it mildly. Stoker's characterization of a strong relationship between the two was dead wrong, emphasis on the _dead_ _ **.**_ Historically, they would kill each other on sight. Nowadays, relations were much more civil, but there was still a deep distrust. No one knew quite where it had started, but it ran deep in the blood of both races.

"I'd say we could just leave," Steve said, "but they'd find out somehow."

"Yeah," Danny agreed. He still showed no move to attack, sitting back in his chair, hands loose at his sides, and Steve relaxed slightly. "Damn psychics. Can't keep anything from them," Danny continued. "Besides, Chin threatened to put wolfsbane in my locker and the car if I didn't go through with it."

Steve whistled, impressed. "I didn't know he had it in him." The native was usually very mild-mannered; such a devious act was the last thing Steve expected from him.

"Yeah, well, don't get on his bad side, that's all I can say. So, why are you here?"

"Kono threatened to take away my amulet," Steve confessed.

"The one that lets you walk in the sun?" Steve nodded. "Nasty." Danny reached out a hand, and Steve tensed again, unsure of what the blond intended. He relaxed again when Danny simply picked up the menu. "Well, since we're both stuck, we might as well make the most of it." He flipped it open. "What have they got? I'm starving."

Steve studied Danny while Danny studied the menu. Steve didn't need to look at the menu; he wasn't planning on eating. When he was with others, Steve usually just ordered the first thing on the menu to be companionable, but he wasn't going to extend Danny that courtesy. No, Steve had every intention of sticking to water. He hoped that would send a message to the other man that he was here only because he had to be; he certainly didn't intend to enjoy himself.

Steve had to admit, objectively, Danny was good looking. He was short, but he was broad-shouldered, and Steve could detect solid muscle under the dress shirt and tie he wore. Steve wondered at his attire. Who wore that in Hawaii? Sure, this restaurant was nicer than most, but Steve's cargo pants and short-sleeved, button-down shirt weren't out of place by any means. Danny's blond hair was carefully coiffed, and those blue eyes were mesmerizing. They were the first thing Steve had noticed when Danny had looked at him across the restaurant. If Steve weren't trying to intimidate Danny, he might have gotten lost in those fathomless blue orbs. Steve refused to go down that path. He wasn't considering dating Danny, and that was final. Kono would just have to live with it.

Danny threw his menu aside, interrupting Steve's reverie. "Unbelievable. All they have is pasta. No meat."

Steve picked up the discarded menu and scanned it, curious to see what Danny was on about. Steve was no expert when it came to food, but it looked like a typical menu for an Italian restaurant—pasta (Italian sausage and meatballs optional), several chicken dishes, certainly not vegetarian like Danny seemed to be claiming. "Looks like they have plenty to me," Steve said.

Danny glared at him as if what he'd said was heresy. "Chicken is _not_ meat. A bloody rare steak is meat. I don't know what Kono was thinking. I mean, I like Italian as much as the next guy—hell, I _am_ Italian, grew up on my Nonna's cooking—but if I'm going to have to sit through this ordeal, I need red meat."

Steve bristled at Danny's words. "This is no picnic for me, either," he said. "A nice, big glass of pig's blood would certainly help, but it doesn't look like either of us are getting our wish."

Danny made no attempt to hide his distasteful expression at the mention of Steve's food preferences, but he did wave the waiter over and place an order. Steve was very envious of the glass of red wine Danny ordered. At least one of them would have some liquid courage to sustain them. Steve didn't even have that option—vampires didn't get drunk; their metabolisms were too high.

Danny had apparently decided the best way to deal with Steve was to ignore him. The werewolf pulled out his phone and started fiddling with it, paying no notice to Steve glowering at him across the table. When the waiter arrived with his wine and a basket of bread, Danny grabbed a slice of sourdough and slathered butter on it, taking a big bite, closing his eyes, and moaning in apparent ecstasy. Steve was pretty sure the blond was doing it to annoy him. Steve certainly felt a stab of something. There was no way he would ever admit it was closer to lust than jealousy.

The silent treatment continued through the salad course, broken only by the occasional exaggerated sound of enjoyment from Steve's companion. Steve stoically endured it, but there was no way he could ignore what the noises were doing to certain parts of his anatomy. When Danny's spaghetti arrived, he shoveled a forkful into his mouth, purposefully letting the ends dangle and sucking them up, cheeks hollowed. Steve resolutely tamped down on the image of Danny doing that while sucking on something entirely different. When Danny carefully twirled another forkful of pasta onto his fork, clearly planning on a repeat performance, Steve broke.

"Would you stop that?" he demanded.

Danny looked at him, blue eyes wide and innocent. "Stop what?"

"Tormenting me. You know I don't eat! And do you have to make it so, so, _sexual_?"

"I'm sorry," Danny said, not sounding sorry at all, "can't a man enjoy his food?"

"No!" Steve said, maybe a bit too loudly. Heads turned towards them, and he lowered his voice. "Look, I know neither of us want to be here, but maybe we should try to get along."

"Oh, like you're any better," Danny said, waving his fork as he spoke. The ends of the pasta whipped back and forth with the motion. Steve's eyes followed them, entranced. "You, sitting there across the table with just your glass of water, glaring at me. Way to make a guy feel welcome."

Steve closed his eyes, praying for patience. Ripping the guy's head off—literally—in the middle of a crowded restaurant was probably a bad move. The vampire tried hard to keep his voice reasonable when he spoke. "We promised Chin and Kono we'd give this a chance, and they must have had some reason for setting us up."

Danny snorted. "Yeah, Chin's vision. 'Sparks flying' indeed."

Steve pressed on, ignoring Danny's interruption. "We owe it to them to at least try."

Danny heaved a put-upon sigh. "Fine. Let's start over." He stuck out his hand, and Steve took it, hesitating only a second. After all, this was his idea—he couldn't balk now. "Danny Williams. I work with Chin."

"Steve McGarrett. I'm a friend of Chin and Kono's." He shook Danny's hand, slightly surprised when Danny didn't try to turn it into a power play by squeezing as hard as he could. Not that Steve couldn't give as good as he got—werewolves and vampires were pretty evenly matched in strength. Danny's hand fit well in Steve's. With their size difference, Steve expected his hand to swallow Danny's, but it didn't. Sure, Danny's hand was smaller, but he could still wrap it firmly around Steve's. Steve refused to think how their hands would fit together with fingers intertwined. He was _not_ interested in Danny that way, dammit. He didn't even like the man.

Except, he did. Once they put their animosity aside, Steve found Danny was easy to talk to. Their jobs gave them something in common—Steve was a PI; his vampire stealth made him great at tailing, and patience born of 250 years of life along with no need to sleep helped greatly with stakeouts. They also found they both enjoyed football (the American kind), though Danny lamented the lack of a local team and confessed he didn't get to watch as many games on TV as he wanted because, in his words, he had "a crappy TV with a crappy cable package in his crappy apartment."

"Why don't you come over to my place and watch the game tomorrow?" Steve found himself saying.

Danny looked surprised. "Really? You sure about that?"

"Yeah," Steve said. "But if you want anything to eat or drink, you're on your own."

Danny considered the offer, looking at Steve as if gauging his sincerity. "Sure, I'd like that he said finally."

Steve felt an odd flutter of pleasure at Danny accepting his invitation. "Great, I'll see you then."

Chatting about the upcoming game carried them through dessert (Danny still made those sounds of pleasure that went straight to Steve's groin, so maybe that was just the way he was). When the check came, Danny reached for it, but Steve stopped him. He pulled out a wad of bills. "This one's on Kono."

"What about the next one?" Danny asked.

Steve was confused. "What?"

"The next date," Danny said, casually, as if his words weren't completely unexpected. "Who pays for that?"

Steve's brain was struggling to catch up. "You want to do this again?"

Danny shrugged. "Sure, why not? You're not bad company, for a vampire." His eyes twinkled, taking the sting out of the words.

Steve thought about it a minute. He had enjoyed their dinner, and, he had to admit, there was an underlying current that spoke of something more than friends. Yeah, they were getting together to watch the game, but what Danny was proposing was something else, something entirely different, a possibility, maybe even a promise. "Why not?" he echoed. "You're not bad yourself, for a werewolf." He grinned, and Danny grinned back.

"It's a date."

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A/N: This will continue, and there will be eventual smut, but there will be at least the football game, probably the next date, and maybe more before then.

A/N: This is the story I've probably put the most work into. It's been substantially revised as I've read back through. I'm working on details-you still have to know H50, but I'm trying not to just dump you into dialogue-I'm trying to set the scene, show what characters are doing, etc. Let me know how I did!


	2. Chapter 2

Steve was looking forward to Danny coming over for the game. He even laid in a selection of snacks, despite having told Danny to bring his own. He didn't know what Danny liked, so he got a little bit of everything. He even threw in a pound of ground beef, figuring he could make hamburgers. Not that Steve really knew how—200+ years of not eating meant he was pretty hopeless in the kitchen. Still, he'd make an effort for Danny. Steve refused to think about why he was so eager to impress the werewolf.

Steve was vibrating with nerves when Danny finally rang the bell. Steve opened the door, taking him in with an appreciative glance. Danny had shed the suit and tie for jeans and a t-shirt. They weren't particularly tight, but they still hugged his chest and ass. Steve was sure his heartbeat would have sped up if it actually beat. How was Danny doing this to him? Steve would never have imagined he'd have even the least bit of attraction to a werewolf, especially a _male_ werewolf, but Steve couldn't deny his interest in Danny was more than friendly.

"So, are you going to invite me in, or are you just going to stand there checking me out?" Danny asked with a smirk.

Oops, Steve had been caught. He was glad vampires didn't blush, or he was sure he would be. He stepped aside to let Danny enter. "Please, come on in."

Danny breezed past Steve into the house. He looked around, clearly taking it in. There wasn't much to see as the house was shrouded in darkness; Steve kept the curtains drawn to keep out the bright sunshine—he might be able to go out in the sun, but that didn't me he liked to expose himself unnecessarily. Okay, so Hawaii might be an odd place for a vampire, but dammit, he _liked_ it here.

"Nice place," Danny said. "Comfortable."

Steve chuckled. "You sound surprised."

Danny shrugged. "I've never been inside a vampire's house before."

"What, were you expecting coffins?"

Danny looked interested. "Do you have one?"

Steve shook his head. "That whole thing about coffins and earth of your home is a myth."

"What about sleeping through the day?" Danny asked, genuinely curious.

"I used to," Steve said, "but with the amulet that lets me go out into the sun, I don't really need to. I don't sleep much at all these days."

Danny nodded, clearly processing this. After a minute, he held up his arms, overflowing with beer and chips. "Where do I put this?" Steve cataloged Danny's choices, storing the information for next time, and refusing to admit how much he was hoping there _was_ a next time. He _liked_ hanging out with Danny, even if their relationship never progressed past friendship (and with Danny's request for a second date, Steve had high hopes it would).

Steve gestured towards the kitchen. "In there. I actually got some snacks, though."

Danny looked touched. "Ah, babe, you didn't have to."

Once again, if it beat, Steve's heart would be thudding in his chest. "Babe?"

"Don't take it personally. It's a Jersey thing," Danny said, obviously thinking Steve was uncomfortable with the endearment.

That was the farthest thing from the truth. Steve was actually disappointed it sounded like Danny said that to everyone. "What if I wanted to take it personally?" He meant it to come out flirtatious, but it just came out needy. Way to earn that Smooth Dog moniker he'd been given long ago. Usually, Steve was pretty good at flirting, but Danny just did something to him that caused all his self-confidence to vanish. Danny seemed to turn his whole world topsy-turvy.

Danny grinned at him, a hint of something Steve hoped was desire in his eyes. "Well, then, feel free, _babe_ ," he said, emphasizing the endearment. There went Steve's hypothetical heart again.

Danny made his way into the kitchen, bags in hand. He stopped when he saw the island already overflowing with snacks. "What did you do, buy out the store?"

"I didn't know what you wanted," Steve said. "There's meat for hamburgers, too. I thought I'd cook them later."

Danny was clearly impressed. "Do you even know how to cook?"

"Well, no," Steve admitted, "but I looked it up on the internet. It doesn't seem that hard."

Danny snorted. "I'll remind you of that when the kitchen's filled with smoke, and the smoke alarm's going off." Steve wasn't offended; he was pretty sure Danny was teasing. He did make a mental note to prove Danny wrong.

Steve checked his watch. "The game's about to start. Why don't you grab what you want and make yourself comfortable?" He had a thought. "Oh, let me open the curtains. Sorry, I tend to keep it dark."

Danny waved a hand in dismissal. "Leave 'em. Maybe I can pretend it's actually fall out there instead of 80 degrees and sunny. Don't you have seasons on this godforsaken rock? I don't know how a vampire can stand to live here."

Steve shrugged. "I like it. It's pretty, and the people are nice."

Danny snorted. "Maybe to you. They don't seem to be fond of haole werewolves."

Steve was beginning to think it might be more to do with Danny and his obvious distaste for the island and his insistence on wearing clothing that made him stand out than either the haole or the werewolf part, but he wisely held his tongue. He sat down on the sofa next to Danny, acutely aware of the blond next to him. Their legs were almost, but not quite, touching, and Steve ached to close that short distance between them. Still, that wouldn't be appropriate. He and Danny weren't at that point, at least not yet. Steve considered sitting in one of the armchairs, or farther away on the sofa, but the sofa had the best view, and it wasn't very big, so of course they'd be close to each other. That's what Steve told himself anyway.

Danny apparently hadn't gotten the memo that they weren't at the touching phase yet. He was very enthusiastic during the game, cheering his team on, making fists at good plays, and constantly _touching_ Steve—claps on the back, bumping shoulders, a hand on the shoulder for emphasis, even occasionally touching Steve's thigh to get his attention. Steve told himself Danny was probably just a touchy-feely person, but the vampire liked to think the touches lingered maybe just a touch too long to be friendly.

The game ended with Danny's team winning. The werewolf leaped to his feet, fist pumping the air, shouting jubilantly. "Yes! Take that, you losers!" Then he did something completely unexpected. He leaned over and _hugged_ Steve. Steve reveled in the feeling of Danny's arms around him, holding him tight despite the odd angle. There was no way that could be construed as "just friends". Danny seemed to realize his slip and pulled back, looking wary of Steve's reaction. Danny opened his mouth to say something, but Steve cut him off before he could apologize. The vampire didn't want to hear it was just a mistake; he wanted to pretend it was natural, a common occurrence. There was still a (large) part of him that hoped it would be.

Steve changed the subject. "How about those burgers?"

Danny seemed relieved Steve wasn't going to make a big deal of the hug. In fact, Steve decided to make a gesture of his own to hopefully reassure Danny. The brunet put hand on Danny's back as he gently steered the blond towards the kitchen. Danny looked surprised but didn't pull away. Steve counted it as a win.

Steve got out the meat while Danny started opening cupboards. "What are you looking for?" Steve asked.

"Your spices," Danny replied. "You have to season the meat."

Steve's face fell. He hadn't read anything about that; he'd focused on the cooking part, not the prep part. "You do?" He knew he sounded stupid, but he couldn't help it. How was he supposed to know these things, anyway?

"Of course! Otherwise, it just tastes like, well, meat." He finished searching the cupboards and started on the fridge. "I can't believe it! No onions, no garlic, no Worcestershire sauce, not even any salt and pepper."

"I do have salt," Steve said. "It's in my office."

"Why on earth would you have it in there?" Danny demanded. "Why can't you keep it in the kitchen like normal people?"

"I don't cook with it," Steve said. "I use it for rituals."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable."

"I am a vampire," Steve reminded him. "I don't have to eat, so there's no point in keeping anything on hand."

Danny sighed. "We'll just have to make due with salt, then. We can put the guacamole and salsa you got on top. Unless you have mayonnaise and mustard?" he asked, hopefully.

Steve shook his head. "Sorry."

"We'll just have to change that," Danny said. "If I'm going to be coming over here on a regular basis, you're going to have to lay in supplies. I can't eat junk food all the time."

Steve's heart would really get a workout if it beat. Right now, it would be leaping with joy at Danny's assumption he would be coming over regularly. _He might just want to watch games and hang out,_ Steve told himself. _It doesn't have to be romantic_. Once again, Steve really, really hoped it would be.

Danny showed Steve how to shape the patties, standing behind the vampire, chest flush against Steve's back, hands on top of Steve's, guiding him. Steve was pretty sure there was no need for Danny to be so close, but that didn't stop him from enjoying the hard planes of Danny's body against his back. Steve was very grateful he was a vampire—no flushing, no sweating, no speeding up of heart and breathing, nothing to let Danny see just how much he was affecting Steve—except the growing erection Steve couldn't do anything about. He was grateful Danny was behind him and couldn't see it.

"There," Danny said when he was satisfied. He lifted his hands off Steve's but didn't step away. Steve was more than happy to keep the contact as long as possible. Forever would be good, in his opinion. Okay, it was waaaaayyyyy too early to be thinking along those lines, but Steve couldn't help wishing. "Now, let's cook them."

"I've got this part," Steve said. This, he'd read all about and was confident he could do. He even had a charcoal grill from the man who'd had the house before Steve, and he'd made sure to pick up charcoal and lighter fluid. He was very proud of himself.

Danny seemed impressed, too. "With the state of the kitchen, I didn't expect you to have a grill," he admitted.

"It came with the house," Steve said. "I figured it would be a shame not to use it. After all, burgers taste best grilled," he said with a confidence he didn't feel.

Danny laughed. "Like you'd know."

"I do!" Steve protested, mock offended. "I read it! They even say charcoal's the best."

"It is," Danny confirmed. He put a hand on Steve's arm, much to Steve's joy. "Seriously, babe, I appreciate this. I know it's not your thing, and you didn't have to."

Steve placed his hand on top of Danny's and squeezed. "I wanted to," he said, honestly.

"Thank you," Danny said, sincerely. He stepped back, breaking the moment. "Now, you want to let those burgers cook a few minutes, then turn them, just once. Some people say you should keep turning them, but you lose the juice that way."

"Got it," Steve said. He was sure he could manage it on his own, but once again, Danny stepped behind him and guided his hand. The werewolf seemed even closer this time, hardly any space between them, and Steve's breath would have caught if he had any. It felt so good having Danny close like this. Steve wanted to turn around, take the man in his arms, and kiss him senseless, but he concentrated on the burgers instead.

Finally, Danny deemed them ready. Steve put one on a plate and watched Danny heap it high with salsa and guacamole before following suit. Danny looked surprised.

"What are you doing?"

"Having a burger," Steve said, as though there were nothing unusual about it.

"I thought you didn't eat," Danny said.

Steve shrugged. "I don't, but I figured I'd see what the fuss was about. Besides, it's polite."

Once again, Danny looked touch. "You don't have to do that for me."

"I know," Steve said. "I want to. You deserve it."

Once again, Danny's hand was on Steve's arm. It was starting to feel like it belonged there. "Babe," Danny said, seriously, "you never need to do anything because it's expected or because you think I want you to. I know you're a vampire, and I accept that. I accept everything that goes with it—the dark curtains, the not eating, everything."

It was Steve's turn to be touched. He didn't expect a _werewolf_ of all people to understand. Or maybe that was _why_ Danny understood. Steve would definitely have to revise his opinion of werewolves, or at least _this_ werewolf.

Danny removed his hand, and the moment was broken. Steve mourned the lack of contact, but he figured it would be hard to eat with one hand glued to Steve's arm. Danny did sit next to him instead of across the table as Steve expected, and Steve liked that quite a bit, especially when Danny's leg brushed against his, seemingly by accident. Steve noticed Danny didn't move it, though.

Danny took a big bite of his burger and closed his eyes, moaning in pleasure. Seeing Danny like that, head thrown back in ecstasy, making those noises, went straight to Steve's groin. Steve imagined _him_ doing that to Danny, licking that pale throat, biting into it, sucking hungrily while Danny made those noises for _him_. Steve had to reign himself in. He was getting carried away. Biting someone during sex was intimate, could lead to a bond if he wasn't careful. Steve had never let himself get carried away to that point with any of his other lovers, but he found he really wanted to with Danny. He wouldn't put Danny in that position, though. Werewolves mated for life as it was, and being bonded to Steve would extend that life practically indefinitely. Steve really needed to quit getting ahead of himself.

Danny's voice brought Steve back to reality. "You did good, Steve," he said. That was high praise indeed. Everyone knew werewolves loved their meat, so if Danny liked it, Steve must have done something right. Steve felt his chest puff out with pride.

"Thanks," he said.

Danny continued to devour his burger, more moans punctuating his enjoyment every now and then. Steve took a few bites and had to admit it wasn't bad. He rather liked the flavor of the guacamole and salsa. Maybe he'd have to have some with Danny the next time he came over. The meat was fairly bland, but that was okay. Danny seemed to enjoy it, and that was the important thing.

At last, Danny reluctantly pushed his plate away. He'd had three burgers to Steve's one, thoroughly enjoying them all, letting out the same practically pornographic soundtrack with each. Steve was starting to wonder if Danny was doing it intentionally. "That was great, thanks, babe."

"You're welcome," Steve said. "I'd offer you dessert, but I didn't get anything."

"That's okay," Danny said. "I'm stuffed." He checked his watch. "Besides, it's getting late and I have to work in the morning. I should go."

"Okay," Steve said. Reluctantly, he walked Danny to the door. He really wanted to ask the other man to stay the night, but that wouldn't be proper. He didn't want to push Danny. He had no way of knowing if Danny was feeling the same attraction Steve was, though he had his hopes. Steve debated kissing Danny, but held back from that as well. He contented himself with asking "You want to come over for the game next weekend?"

A grin lit up Danny's face. "I'd love to. And I still owe you that date. Friday night?"

"Sounds good," Steve said, elated. Maybe this was going the direction he wanted it to.

"Great." Danny hesitated, then stood on tiptoe and pecked Steve on the cheek, disappearing into the dark before Steve had time to even register it.

Steve grinned stupidly into the night. Danny wanted to come over again. Better, they were going on an honest-to-goodness date. Steve could hardly wait.


	3. Chapter 3

After Danny left, Steve couldn't get the werewolf off his mind. Being alone in a large house had never bothered Steve, but, once filled with Danny's voice, his laughter, his very _presence,_ Steve felt an emptiness he'd never known. He'd always been solitary, even before he'd been turned, but since then, he'd kept his interactions with others to a minimum—it hurt too much to see dear friends wither away and die while he remained stuck in time, 34 forever. As a result, Steve didn't let people in easily. Kono had practically forced her way in, making their weekly dinners a condition of keeping his amulet charged, and Chin had come along for the ride. Other than that, Steve didn't really have any friends, didn't really need them—or so he thought.

Then along came Danny. From the moment their eyes locked across the restaurant, something shifted in Steve. This short, loudmouthed, haole, _werewolf_ had charged in and shattered Steve's barriers, getting him to start thinking about something he hadn't in years, no, make that centuries—a future. More precisely, a future with _Danny_. Obviously, it was way too soon to start thinking about forever, though Steve couldn't stop the occasional stray thought about what might—what _could—_ be, but Steve found himself anticipating their next date, and their next casual get together, and thinking about maybe, just maybe, what might happen after that.

First, he had to hear from Danny. Steve told himself he wasn't going to call or text the other man. Danny had made the overture for their next date; the ball was in his court. That's what Steve told himself. Wait. He wasn't playing hard to get, but he didn't want to seem too eager. Let Danny come to him. That's what he told himself.

That lasted about a day—23 hours and 17 minutes, to be precise—Steve knew because he'd spent three hours telling himself to wait until it had been a full day to contact Danny. Steve was stuck on a stakeout, waiting for some slimeball on a "business trip" to finish banging the first sweet—or not so sweet—thing of the evening. He hated these kinds of cases, hated them even more because he didn't have to follow the guys around to tell they'd been cheating—one whiff would tell him that. His nose wasn't as sensitive as a werewolf's, but it was much better than a typical human. But they were his bread and butter, so he sat in his car in the parking lot of some cheap hotel, or, if he was lucky, in the lobby of some posh resort, waiting.

Tonight, while he waited, Steve's thoughts turned to Danny. He wondered what the detective was doing. Steve didn't think Danny and Chin had a case, so Danny would be off, most likely. Would he be out with friends? Danny had mentioned he was new, and his fellow cops didn't like him much, so Steve didn't think so. With family? Steve thought Danny had said something about a daughter, but that was odd because werewolves mated for life, and didn't a child imply a mate? Maybe his mate had died? Still, Danny hadn't mentioned having to get home to anyone, and if he had a daughter at home, Steve couldn't imagine he'd be wasting Sunday watching football with a vampire he'd just met. So, that meant Danny just might be at home, and maybe, just maybe, Steve let himself hope, waiting for Steve to call.

Finally, Steve could resist no longer. He punched in Danny's number, already anticipating hearing that loud, lively voice in his ear. He was disappointed when the call went to voice mail. Guess Danny was out. Steve couldn't help a pang of jealousy, even though he told himself he had no right. He had no claim on Danny; they'd just had one date and one friendly get-together. Why should Steve expect Danny to wait around for him to call? It's not like Steve would if their position were reversed. Except, Steve knew, that was exactly what he'd do. When had Danny become such a big part of his life?

"Hey, there, it's Steve," he said when the tone sounded. "Just wondering what you were up to and if maybe you wanted to get together and hang out. Give me a call." Steve hung up and went back to waiting for his Jerk of the Day to finish playing Casanova. He was antsy, though, hoping Danny would call back. Danny didn't. Steve told himself it really wasn't a big deal, but it was.

Danny finally called back about lunchtime the next day. Steve had just about given up hearing from the other man, and his thoughts were starting to spiral into dark territory. What if he was reading things wrong? What if Danny thought they were just friends? Worse, what if Danny didn't even want that? What if he decided this whole vampire and werewolf thing was too much? What if. . .the list went on and on, and none of it was good.

When Steve's phone rang, it startled Steve out of his thoughts. He swore his heart gave a leap when Danny's name appeared, which was just ridiculous since it didn't beat in the first place. Steve was learning his heart was capable of a lot of things it shouldn't be when it came to Danny.

"Hello?" Steve said, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. Was Danny calling to say he had second thoughts, or did he want to get together, hang out, maybe even finalize that second date? Steve didn't know what to think.

"Hey, Steve," Danny said. "Sorry I didn't call. I was. . .busy." There was a slight pause before the last word, but Danny's voice sounded warm, not like someone who was about to dump him, not that Steve had much experience with that—he wasn't kidding when he told Kono his last date had been in the Victorian era. Since then, he'd only had one night stands, and very few of those.

"That's okay," Steve said. "It wasn't important. Just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out."

"Yeah, well, obviously, last night was bad," Danny said, but his voice sounded off.

"Maybe tonight?" Steve asked.

Danny's voice had lost its warmth. "No, sorry, all this week's bad." Steve's heart plummeted (damn heart—it shouldn't do that). Was Danny seeing someone else? Why was he being vague? Steve was disappointed, but more than that, he felt hurt. He thought he and Danny were friends. Apparently, he was wrong.

Danny was still talking. "I'm still up for this weekend, though."

Steve breathed a sigh of relief. Danny still wanted to hang out with him. "Right. The game. Sunday noonish?" Steve wasn't going to bring up their possible date. He didn't want to seem desperate.

Danny brought it up instead. "I'd love to. And there's still that matter of a second date. Friday, remember?" There was a pause. "Unless you don't want to." Steve detected a note of disappointment in Danny's voice. Maybe the werewolf wanted this just as much as Steve.

Stupid, stupid heart that shouldn't be fluttering but was. "No, I'm looking forward to it," Steve assured Danny.

"Terrific." Steve could practically hear Danny smiling through the phone. "I'll call you with the details." There was a voice in the background. Danny's voice faded, muffled as he said something, apparently having covered the phone with his hand. He was back momentarily. "Chin and I were about to get lunch. Chin wants to know if you want to join us."

"Sounds great." Steve couldn't help grinning. He was seeing Danny again. Okay, so it was with Chin and not one-on-one, but still. At least Chin wouldn't grill them like Kono would, though Steve was sure he'd have to put up with the psychic's knowing smirk. Oh, well, it was a small price to pay.

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Steve met the two detectives about 20 minutes later at Kamekona's. The sun was bright, and it made Steve's skin prickle—the amulet couldn't block the full effect of the sun, especially in someplace like Hawaii. Danny was worth a little discomfort, though. Steve's mood brightened considerably when Danny waved from one of the picnic tables on the beach. "Steve! Over here!"

Steve approached and stood awkwardly in front of the table, unsure of what sort of greeting to expect. Should he shake hands? Hug? Danny had kissed his cheek, but that was in private. How would he behave here, in front of Chin and Kamekona and all these tourists?

Danny didn't seem to share the same doubts. He stood up and gave Steve a huge hug, lingering longer than was maybe strictly necessary, and pecked him on the cheek again. Steve practically glowed, probably would have if he'd been able. "Great to see you again, babe. Have a seat." Danny caught Chin's smirk. The werewolf pointed a finger at his partner. "Not a word, Chin. Not one."

Chin held his hands out, defensively. "I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it," Danny accused.

"All I was thinking was that it was nice to see you two getting along."

"And you were thinking 'I told you so'," Danny added. "Admit it."

"Would I say something like that?" Chin asked, innocently.

"You're right," Danny said. "That's more Kono's thing." He sat back down and motioned to the seat next to him. "Have a seat, babe."

There was that "babe" again. Steve was beginning to hope it was more than just "a Jersey thing." The feeling was strengthened when Danny rested a hand on Steve's thigh. "Want anything, babe?"

Steve started to answer, to order something for form's sake, but thought about what Danny said, about not doing something just because it was expected. He usually ordered something when he was out with Chin and Kono, mostly so Kono could steal his shrimp, but he didn't feel compelled to for the sake of propriety like he usually did. Instead, he thought about what he _really_ wanted—besides blood and Danny naked. And where did that thought come from? "I'll have a shave ice. Large. Pineapple," Steve told the Kamekona, who was hovering nearby.

"You got it, brah." The big man left and returned shortly with Steve's shave ice. Steve took a long lick, running his tongue up the length and closing his eyes, sighing in pleasure, as the sweet, slightly tangy taste hit his tongue. The cold was heavenly to his overheated body. Shave ice was something Steve could truly enjoy, but he didn't indulge in it often. Briefly, he wondered why not. Kamekona's business was founded on it, after all. He'd definitely have to get it more often.

Steve opened his eyes and noticed Danny staring at his mouth. The werewolf's tongue flicked out, and he licked his lips. Steve smirked. Good. Now Danny knew how Steve felt with all Danny's moaning and groaning over food. Steve took another long lick and smacked his lips for good measure. "Yum. That really hits the spot."

"I bet," Danny said, sounding strangled. He still hadn't taken his eyes off Steve. The werewolf swallowed, hard, as Steve took another lick. He didn't play it up this time, but the effect was still noticeable. God, Steve was enjoying this—and he wasn't just talking about the shave ice.

Chin hid a smile. "I hope you know this doesn't get you out of our weekly dinner," he told Steve.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Steve said. "I know Kono's going to want to know all about the date."

"No!" Danny said emphatically. "You are not telling Kono about _my_ personal life!"

"Why not?" Steve asked. "You told Chin."

"Because Chin's cool," Danny replied. "He doesn't need details. Kono's going to want a play-by-play. And she's going to be insufferable because her plan worked."

"He's got a point," Chin said, stabbing at Danny with a forkful of shrimp in emphasis.

"Yeah, but have you ever tried to resist Kono?" Steve said.

"Another point." Chin gestured at Steve this time before bringing the shrimp to his mouth.

Danny sighed. "Okay, fine, but _no details_."

"I'll do my best," Steve promised.

They chatted about this and that while the two detectives finished their lunch. Steve found watching Danny talk highly entertaining. The man spoke with his body, arms flailing, shrimp stabbing through the air, bits of rice flying everywhere. Danny didn't seem to notice or care. Steve was envious of the werewolf's joie de vivre. Steve hadn't had that in a long time, but then, he hadn't had much _vivre_ in a long time. Maybe Danny could bring that feeling back. Steve hoped so.

Far too soon for Steve's liking, Danny looked at his watch. "Chin and I have to get going. We've got an interview with the widow of our vic in 15 minutes."

Steve couldn't keep the disappointment out of his voice. "Okay. Call me tonight?" he asked, hopefully.

"Sorry, no can do," Danny said, voice rather snippy in Steve's opinion. The vampire was highly confused. First Danny kissed him, now he was getting the brush off. What was with the guy?

Steve realized Danny hadn't quit talking. "...lunch tomorrow, though. Maybe without Chin this time."

"You'd abandon your partner?" Chin said, mock hurt.

Danny clapped him on the back. "Sorry, buddy, got a better offer." He put his hand on Steve's shoulder, leaving it there. "Right, babe?"

"Right," Steve said. He basked in the warmth of Danny's hand through his thin shirt. Steve still didn't understand why Danny didn't want to hang out with him in the evenings, though. After dark was a much better time for Steve. Then it hit him. This week was the full moon. No wonder Danny was "busy". Steve cursed himself for not realizing it earlier. Obviously, there were some things about dating a werewolf Steve was going to have to get used to.

Steve, Chin, and Danny walked to together to their cars, parting ways when they reached the small parking area. Steve admired the sleek silver Camaro he assumed must be Danny's—Chin alternated between his Mustang and his bike. Danny certainly had good taste in cars. Danny paused next to his car. "See you tomorrow, Steve," he said.

Steve was feeling let down that Danny didn't do anything else when Danny stepped closer. The shorter man lifted up on his toes, aiming for Steve's cheek again, but Steve turned his head at the last minute—accidentally of course—and their lips met. It was the barest of kisses, and it lasted only a second, but it was enough to make Steve hunger for more. From the flash of lust that flitted through Danny's eyes, the werewolf was feeling the same way. If they weren't in public, and Chin and Danny didn't have to work, there was no telling what might happen. As it was, Steve contented himself with one more quick peck. "See you tomorrow."

Danny's eyes flashed dark again for just a second. "And don't forget Friday," he said.

"As if I could," Steve said. Friday couldn't come fast enough.


	4. Chapter 4

The week seemed to drag. Steve and Danny got together for lunch every day, sometimes with Chin, sometimes not, and, on one memorable occasion, with Kono, who bombarded them with questions the whole time, despite Danny's protests that they were too personal, and she was being nosy. Even so, an hour wasn't nearly enough time together, in Steve's opinion. He craved Danny's company almost as much as he craved blood. Steve wanted to spend every waking minute with the other man, and for Steve, that was practically 24/7. He wished he could hang out with Danny in the evenings, or at least talk to him on the phone, but the full moon made that impossible. Steve consoled himself with the thought that it was only once a month. The rest of the time, hopefully, he and Danny could spend evenings, and even nights, together, too. Okay, maybe Steve was getting ahead of himself, but a man can dream, can't he?

Finally, Friday came. Steve spent much longer than usual deciding what to wear. Usually he just threw on a pair of cargos and the first shirt he found, but tonight he wanted to look good for Danny. It was ridiculous, really—Danny had already seen him in his everyday wear; Steve hardly had to impress him. Still, Steve found himself trying on outfit after outfit until he found just the right one. He'd say he was acting like a teenager with their first crush, but Steve didn't really know how that felt. His first crush was over 200 years ago—things were much different then. His family wasn't well-off, so he didn't have a closet full of clothes to fuss over. Steve found himself briefly longing for the days when he had only a set of everyday clothes and a set of "good" clothes to choose from. Then he wouldn't have to spend so much time agonizing over it.

Steve finally called Kono in a panic. "I don't know what to wear," he said when she answered.

"I'll be right there," she promised.

Having Kono there didn't help his nerves any. She took one look at his closet and immediately dismissed it all. "You want to look hot," she said. "You want him to look at you like he's starving and you're the main course. You don't want to look like you just rolled out of bed and grabbed the first thing that came to hand."

"I don't have anything like that! I do just roll out of bed and grab the first thing!" Steve wailed. "What am I going to do?"

"Never fear," Kono said. "We're going shopping."

Normally, Steve would rather go to the dentist (the kind they had in the 19th Century) than go shopping, but he followed Kono without protest to the men's casual wear section of the closest department store. She eyed Steve critically, then the selection before her. She selected several pairs of jeans and paired them with several brightly colored dress shirts.

"Why do I need dress shirts in Hawaii?" Steve protested.

"Because they'll show off your body," Kono said. "Trust me."

Steve was dubious, but he obediently tried on her choices. The jeans hugged him so tightly, he was surprised he could still move. He hadn't worn anything this tight in his not inconsiderable life. What was Kono thinking? He couldn't go out like this! Steve's mores were more firmly rooted in the 19th Century than the 21st. How could anyone stand to wear something like this?

He had to admit the shirts did look nice. They hugged his body, just hinting at the muscles beneath. Kono had chosen several shades of green, which she said emphasized his eyes. Now, if he could just do something about the pants. . .

He slouched out to show Kono, shuffling his feet awkwardly in the tight jeans. The witch looked him over approvingly. "Nice. You'll knock Danny's socks off."

"Are you sure? These jeans seem kind of tight," Steve said.

"That's the point," Kono said. "Now, pay for them and let's go."

Once Steve was home, he finished getting dressed. He put on the jeans—he was still uncomfortable with how tight they were, but he'd trust Kono. Danny had better appreciate it—and selected a sea-green shirt. It was a lighter color than he'd usually select, but it did emphasize his eyes, and Steve liked the effect. Jeans aside, Kono had good taste. Now, if only Danny appreciated it.

Steve spent the time before Danny arrived sitting on the couch pretending to watch TV and checking his watch every five minutes. He didn't know time could go so slow. Finally, the doorbell rang, and Steve leaped up to answer it. Danny was on the other side. Steve took in his appearance. Danny was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, just like he had the prior Sunday, but both were considerably tighter. The shirt clung to his torso, showing off his broad chest, muscles flexing impressively with every little move. The jeans emphasized powerful thighs Steve wanted to see wrapped around him (and boy, was that an inappropriate thought). He couldn't see Danny's ass, but he bet it looked good.

Danny seemed just as appreciative of Steve's outfit, and Steve couldn't help preening. God bless Kono. Danny's eyes swept Steve from head to toe, and Steve swore he caught a look of lust in his eyes. Steve was about 30 seconds away from saying to hell with the date and jumping Danny right there when Danny spoke.

"We'd better get going or we'll miss the movie."

Steve followed Danny out to the car, once again admiring it. Bet it would be fun to drive. "Give me the keys," he said on impulse.

"No way!" Danny said. "What makes you think I'm going to let you drive my car?"

Steve wracked his brain for an excuse. "I get motion sick unless I drive."

"You're a vampire!" Danny said. "Vampires don't get motion sick."

"I know the way to the theatre," Steve said.

Danny snorted. "I may be new, but I do know the way to the mall. I have a daughter, after all."

"Fine." Steve couldn't help pouting. He really wanted to drive that car.

Danny relented and tossed Steve the keys. "Okay, fine, but just this once."

Steve beamed and slid into the driver's seat. He turned the key, and the engine roared to life. He listened to it purr. Sweet. Bet it took curves well. Steve would love to take it out on one of the roads along the ocean, but he didn't think Danny would go for that. Driving to the mall would have to do.

"What are we seeing?" Steve asked.

"Well, I was hoping we could see the latest Twilight movie, but that closed a couple of months ago, and it isn't out on video," Danny said.

"Hell, no!" was on the tip of Steve's tongue, but he contained himself. Danny couldn't possibly be serious, was he? Steve looked over at his companion, but there was no twinkle in his eye or other sign that he was joking.

"Are you sure you want to see it?" Steve asked, careful to keep his voice as neutral as possible. "I've heard it's a little. . .inaccurate." To put it mildly. Steve didn't know many other vampires, but he sure as hell wouldn't watch something that was so wildly off base. Maybe it wasn't as bad for werewolves? All Steve knew about weres what was he'd heard, which he was learning was as inaccurate as the ideas most people had about vampires, and what little he'd learned from Danny.

Danny burst out laughing. "I really got you going, didn't I? Don't worry—I have no desire whatsoever to see Twilight. I'm just glad Grace isn't old enough yet. Hopefully, by the time she is, this whole craze will have passed."

Grace? Oh, yeah, Danny's daughter. He'd mentioned her a couple of times, but didn't give Steve any details. Their conversation, while enjoyable, had been mostly superficial—food (on Danny's part—the man loved food, and, while Steve knew next to nothing, he enjoyed listening to Danny talk), sports, and their jobs. Steve figured now was as good a time as any to get more details. "How old is she?"

Danny's face lit up. "Eight. She's the best. You should meet her, though I don't know if Rachel will let you. She's pretty anti-vampire. I'll work it out, though."

"Rachel?" That was a new name.

"Her mother." Danny's voice was bitter. It was an odd way for someone to talk about their—mate? Steve still didn't know the story. He decided to push.

"Your mate?"

"No," Danny said, and there was definitely bitterness there, along with a touch of something else—sadness? "We never mated. I wanted to, but there was always something—wait until we're married, wait until we have a bigger place, wait until you make detective, wait until we're older—she always had a reason, and a damn poor one at that. Then, she dumps me for some other guy, they're mated within the month, and she takes Grace off to this pineapple-infested hellhole where I have no choice but to follow!"

Wow, okay, that was more information than Steve expected. That brought up another question. "Just how old are you?" Weres weren't immortal, but they lived 200 years, easy, and Steve had heard there were some up to 500 years old. Children aged at the same rate as humans, but after that, the aging slowed way down.

"34," Danny replied. Same age as he looked. Same age as Steve was when he was turned. That was young for a werewolf to mate. No wonder it hadn't worked out for him and Rachel, not that Steve would say that. "You?"

"250, give or take," Steve replied. Birth records weren't all that accurate back then, and, unlike some vampires who could tell you down to the day how long ago they'd been turned, Steve didn't really keep that much track of time.

Danny let out a low whistle. "Talk about your age difference."

"Does it bother you?" Steve's non-beating heart clenched. What if that was a problem? He'd only known Danny a week, but already Steve couldn't imagine life without Danny. He'd be okay if Danny only wanted to be friends, but he was becoming more and more sure he wanted Danny in a romantic sense. What if age was a deal-breaker?

"Nah," Danny said. "My parents are both over 100, and most of my friends are over 50, so why should it matter? It's just a number. I'll get there eventually."

Steve let out a sigh of relief. Good, that wasn't going to be a problem. Steve decided he'd had enough of this heavy stuff and went back to the original topic. "So, what movie are we going to see?"

"Red," Danny said. "You seem like the type to enjoy a good action flick."

Steve was, and he'd been wanting to see it. "Sounds good."

They arrived at the theatre, and Danny paid for the tickets. Steve tried to pay, but Danny was insistent. "I invited you, so I pay." Steve finally gave in.

At the snack counter, Danny loaded up on food—hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, candy, soda. Steve was part appalled, part impressed. "You're going to have a heart attack."

"What's the fun of going to a movie if you don't get snacks?" Danny said. "Besides, I didn't eat dinner."

Steve made a face. "That's not dinner. That's all junk."

"I got a hot dog," Danny pointed out. "Anyway, you don't even eat. What do you care?"

Danny had a point. Steve dropped the subject.

They took their seats, and Danny rested the tub of popcorn on his lap. Steve couldn't resist taking some. Danny slapped his hand. "Hey! Get your own popcorn!"

Steve popped his ill-gotten gains into his mouth. "I don't eat, remember?"

"So, why are you eating mine?!"

Steve stole another handful. Danny glared, but didn't attempt to stop him. "It tastes better when you steal it," Steve said. At least, that's what Kono always said when she stole his shrimp. Steve had to admit there was something satisfying about taking it from someone else, just a tiny bit of an illicit thrill. Steve reached for the bucket again.

"I don't believe it!" Danny grumbled. "First you drive my car, now you steal my popcorn. Don't you have any sense of propriety, you Neanderthal?" He didn't sound upset, though. In fact, he placed the popcorn bucket between them. Steve counted it as a win.

They continued to munch on popcorn as the previews began. Steve reached into the bucket and found his hand closing not on kernels of corn but on Danny's hand. Steve started to withdraw, but Danny caught hold of the vampire's hand and entwined their fingers. Both withdrew their hands, but they remained connected on the armrest between them. After a few minutes, Danny gently disentangled his fingers to get more popcorn. Steve mourned the loss of just that simple touch until he felt pressure on his thigh. He looked down to see Danny's hand resting just above his knee. The vampire glanced over at his companion, but Danny's gaze was fixed on the screen. Steve did notice Danny's mouth quirk up just a bit, and the hand squeezed his knee. Steve left Danny's hand there and felt daring enough to drape his own arm along the back of the seat. Danny scooted closer, and Steve's arm dropped around the werewolf's shoulders.

By the end of the movie, Danny's head was on Steve's shoulder, and the blond's hand had moved up Steve's thigh until it was approaching dangerous territory. Steve, in turn, was drawing random patterns on the back of Danny's neck, toying with the fine hairs there. He was reluctant to stir when the movie ended, but Danny patted his leg and stood up. "Well, that was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours," he said with a smirk.

Steve smirked back. "Yeah, it was." He was pretty sure they were both talking about more than the movie.

Danny gathered up his trash, and they headed for the exit, Steve's hand resting proprietarily on the small of Danny's back. It felt good there, like it belonged, and Steve hoped he'd be able to do this for a long time to come.

Back at the car, Steve slid smoothly into the driver's seat.

"Hey!" Danny protested. "I told you that was a one-time thing!"

Steve dangled the keys in front of Danny's face. "Yeah, but I've got the keys." Danny swiped at them, but Steve jerked them away. He might not have the speed portrayed in the movies, but his reflexes were damn good. Surprisingly, Danny caught his wrist. Werewolf reflexes might be just as good.

Danny looked Steve in the eyes. "You owe me," he said. The smoldering flame Steve saw made him wonder just what kind of payment Danny had in mind. He really wanted to find out.

Steve met the shorter man's gaze. "Come back to my place, and we'll settle up," he said.

Danny didn't flinch from the intensity of Steve's gaze. "You're on."

Sexual tension crackled between them as Steve drove slightly (okay, quite a bit) over the speed limit back to his place. Despite the charged atmosphere, Danny kept up a running commentary on Steve's driving, hand firmly in place on Steve's thigh, if anything higher than it had been in the movie theatre, which had been distracting enough, thank you very much. Steve had to try very hard to keep his attention on his driving and not where he wanted Danny's hand to be.

They pulled into Steve's driveway, and Steve leaned over to capture Danny's mouth, but Danny stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Inside," the werewolf rasped, voice husky with arousal.

Danny's voice went straight to Steve's cock, already half-hard. If that's what Danny sounded like before they even did anything, Steve couldn't wait to hear the noises he'd make writhing under Steve. Steve turned off the engine, yanked the keys out of the ignition, threw the car door open, and practically ran to his front door, Danny hot on his heels. Steve was so excited he tried to fit Danny's keys in the door, cursing when they didn't work. He fished out his own keys, hands trembling as he tried unsuccessfully to insert them in the lock. Steve seriously considered ripping the door off its hinges. Finally, the key turned in the lock. The vampire pushed it open, and the two men rushed inside. Steve slammed the door behind them so hard the frame rattled. He pushed Danny up against it. The taller man smashed their mouths together, finally drinking deeply from the mouth that had been tempting him all week with those damned light kisses hello and goodbye.

Sparks flew. Damn Chin, anyway.

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A/N: Next chapter will be pure smut. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: As promised, pure smut. :)  
**

Once the dam broke, it was like Steve and Danny couldn't get enough of each other. Steve's hands bracketed Danny's head, pinning him to the door, leaving no room for escape. Not that Danny seemed inclined to. The shorter man bucked his hips, and their erections brushed against each other. They let out twin moans at the sensation. Steve pressed against Danny until their bodies were flush, the friction exquisite but not nearly enough. The werewolf reached around behind the vampire, gripping his ass and pulling him impossibly closer. Again, they gasped in unison. Steve would have marveled at how in sync they were if he were actually capable of thought. All he could think about was _Danny—_ Danny's mouth on his, Danny's hands on his ass, Danny's hips grinding against his, just _Danny, Danny, Danny_.

Danny moaned again, and Steve took the opportunity to invade the werewolf's mouth. It was hot and wet, and Steve eagerly rushed in, mapping every inch of it with his tongue, tangling with Danny's, running along Danny's teeth, scraping against the elongated canines, drawing just a drop of blood. The coppery taste aroused Steve even more, and his own fangs dropped. He withdrew his tongue, nipping at Danny's lips as the werewolf chased him back to his own mouth, drawing more drops of blood. Steve ran his tongue along Danny's lips, loving the tang of fresh blood. He longed for more, longed for a drink as deep as their kiss, but he knew he had to wait. He could be patient. He was a vampire, after all. Vampires were good at patient.

At last Danny drew back, gasping for air. Oh, right, he actually had to breathe. Steve had never been so grateful vampires didn't have to worry about pesky things like that. He framed Danny's face with his hands, a gesture that would be tender if emotions weren't running so high. Holding Danny's head firmly in place, Steve kissed across Danny's jawline and up to the sensitive spot behind Danny's ear, nipping at the lobe and drawing more of that delicious blood along with a positively obscene sound from Danny. Oh, Steve liked that. He nipped again and got another moan. Danny's hand left Steve's ass, worming its way between them, working at the button on Steve's jeans, getting it loose and yanking the zipper down. The hand worked its way into Steve's boxers and curled around Steve's cock. Electricity shot through him. Never had anything felt so good—until Danny began to stroke.

Patience flew out the window. Steve smashed their mouths together again in a deep, desperate kiss. He had to have more of Danny, _now_. His hands mirrored Danny's earlier move, cupping the blond's ass and lifting, vampire strength easily lifting the blond off the ground. Danny's hand left Steve's cock, and both arms wrapped around Steve's neck, dragging him closer and deepening the kiss. Danny's legs wrapped tightly around around Steve's waist, tight enough to punch the breath out of the vampire if he had any.

Steve backed towards the stairs, never breaking the kiss, barely paying attention to where they were going. He missed a step and toppled backwards, vampire reflexes unable to compensate for his extra burden. Steve's head cracked against the stair, enough to probably knock out a normal man, but barely phasing the vampire.

Danny followed him down, never losing contact. He took advantage of their prone position to grind their hips together, drawing a gasp from Steve and causing him to break the kiss. Danny took the opportunity to nip his own path down Steve's neck, fangs scraping but not breaking skin. The blond reached the junction of Steve's neck and shoulder only to be stopped by Steve's shirt. The werewolf shoved it aside, forgetting his own strength and tearing the fabric in his enthusiasm. Steve didn't care. He could always buy another shirt. Right now, it felt too good to have Danny mouthing at the juncture, burying his face into the gap and breathing deeply. Steve knew the werewolf was scenting him, drawing in his essence, but there was none to find. Vampires had no scent. Danny whined in disappointment, and Steve had a moment of panic that the wolf would pull back, unwilling to continue with a partner he couldn't smell.

Steve needn't have worried. Nose was replaced once more by mouth, teeth barely touching. For one glorious moment, Steve thought the wolf would bite down, claiming him, but Danny merely sucked a deep bruise into Steve's shoulder. Steve felt a flash of disappointment, but reminded himself they weren't there yet. Patience. He hoped the mark was a promise of things to come.

Finished marking his territory, Danny licked a stripe back up Steve's neck. The vampire moaned and tilted his neck back, baring it, the need to be bitten almost as strong as the need to bite. Danny growled, fangs barely scraping, hesitating, and Steve prayed for that bite. The werewolf pulled back and attacked Steve's other shoulder, leaving a matching mark. _Patience,_ Steve reminded himself.

Steve watched as Danny sucked. The werewolf's throat was within Steve's grasp, and he watched the muscles tense and relax as Danny's mouth worked. Danny's pulse throbbed, not just visible but audible to the vampire, thrumming deep inside his being, mesmerizing him. Steve poked his tongue out and licked at the pulse point, feeling its warmth under his tongue. Mouth replaced tongue, fangs denting the skin, not yet hard enough to break it. Steve closed his eyes in anticipation, feeling the sting as fangs pierced skin, tasting the first rush of blood. His fangs pressed harder.

Steve snapped back to himself. No. He couldn't do that to Danny. Not yet. _Soon,_ he promised himself. Maybe it was just the heat of the moment, but Steve felt Danny wanted the bond, the mating, as much as Steve did. _Patience_ he reminded himself for a third time and settled for sucking his own mark into the werewolf.

Danny whimpered and ground down, sending a jolt of electricity up Steve's spine. God, he wanted this man. He tensed, ready to roll them over and take what he wanted, only to remember they were still sprawled on the stairs. "Bed," he gasped with what remained of his rational thought.

"Bed," Danny echoed in an almost feral growl. He yanked Steve to his feet as if he were light as a feather and man-handled the vampire in the direction he pointed. Steve wasn't used to a partner who could literally push him around, and he reveled in the feeling. Normally, Steve had to watch himself, take care not to hurt his partners. But here was someone whose strength matched his, who Steve didn't need to worry about breaking, who could take what Steve could give and give back in kind. Steve fell willingly back against the bed when the back of his knees hit the edge, drawing Danny down with him.

Danny reached for Steve's still unfastened pants and tugged. The other man obligingly raised his hips, and Danny drew the jeans down, whining as Steve's erection was revealed, straining against his tight briefs and leaving a wet spot. Danny mouthed at it, spreading it. Steve moaned in ecstasy. He tugged Danny up into a dirty kiss. "Want you," he said.

"Take me," Danny replied.

Steve need no further urging. Quick as a flash, he rolled Danny over, pinning him down and looming over him. The sight of Danny beneath him, panting, lips kiss-swollen, eyes solid black pools, stirred something primal in Steve. He pawed at Danny's clothes. "Off."

Danny showed his strength once again as he easily rose from under Steve until the vampire was in his lap. Danny lifted his t-shirt over his head and discarded it, then reached for his jeans, wiggling deliciously against Steve as he unfastened them and slid them down, Steve lifting up just enough to let him before settling back down.

Now only the thin cotton of their briefs separated them. Even that was too much, and Steve made his displeasure known with a growl that would do a werewolf proud, tugging at Danny's waistband. Danny lifted his hips to help him. "You, too," he reminded the vampire.

Steve rolled off just long enough to yank his briefs down and fish a bottle of lube from the nightstand drawer. He crawled back on top of Danny, like a wolf stalking his prey, an odd comparison, he thought, since Danny was the wolf. Steve was hardly prey, though.

Danny sprawled beneath Steve, legs and arms spread, an inviting smirk on his lips. Steve admired the view. Whether or not it was because he was a werewolf, Danny was liberally dusted with golden hair, not dense enough to hide the toned muscles in his broad chest and strong legs. Steve remembered how those legs felt wrapped around him. He reached out a hand and lifted the nearest one, wrapping it behind him. Danny got the message and wrapped the other one around, gripping just as tightly as before. Steve loved it.

He lubed up a finger and lightly circled Danny's hole. The werewolf gasped and gripped tighter, enough to break ribs on a human, but it had no effect on a vampire. Steve continued circling for a minute, teasing, before ever-so-slowly pressing the tip in. Danny whined and pulled Steve forward with his legs, but Steve refused to be rushed. He continued his slow slide in until he was buried up to the second knuckle, then just as slowly drew it back out before plunging harshly in.

"Aaagghhh!" Danny screamed. "More, Steve, more!"

Steve debated continuing to tease Danny, but he was impatient for the main event, too. He inserted a second finger and scissored them, stretching Danny.

"Yes!" Danny moaned. "Just like that, Steve! More!"

A third finger joined the other two, and Steve's fingers probed until they found Danny's prostate. He howled, a human noise, but just barely. "More, Steve!"

Steve ignored him, pumping his fingers a few more times, scissoring them, hitting Danny's prostate again for good measure. Danny let out a string of moans, gripping Steve with crushing strength and thrusting back.

Eventually, Steve decided Danny was ready. He withdrew his fingers. Danny whimpered, disappointed. "Shh, I got you," Steve reassured him. The vampire slicked his cock and lined himself up with Danny's hole. The tip pressed in, and both men groaned. "So good!" Danny gasped.

Steve agreed. Danny's walls enveloped Steve and his legs pulled him deeper. Steve slid in, inch by slow inch, until he was fully seated. He paused to let Danny adjust, but Danny just squeezed harder. "Move, Steve!"

Steve moved. He slid back slowly until just the tip remained, then pushed back in at the same pace, Danny rising to meet him. Danny's channel felt like velvet around Steve's cock, clenching around him, urging him on. Steve withdrew and returned again, setting a slow pace.

"Faster!" Danny gasped. Steve complied. He sped up, driving into Danny with enough force to ram him into the headboard. Danny just moaned and wrapped his hands around the bars, holding himself in place. Skin slapped against skin as Steve thrust, Danny meeting him with each one. Steve lifted his partner's legs higher, changing the angle and hitting Danny's prostate.

"Unnggggh!" Danny screamed in pleasure. "Harder! I'm so close! I want you to make me come!"

Steve thrust faster, harder, deeper, hitting Danny's prostate on each thrust. The werewolf let out noises so obscene Steve thought they should be illegal. The brunet wrapped his hand around the blond's cock, stripping it hard and fast to match his thrusts. "Come for me, Danny," he ordered.

Danny tensed and stilled, coming with an honest-to-god howl that had nothing human about it and Steve was sure would set every dog in the neighborhood barking. The vampire felt the heat coiling deep in his belly and followed his lover over the edge a few short strokes later, coming with a (much quieter) grunt.

Danny lay limp beneath him, flushed and panting. "Damn, that was good," he said.

"Best I've had in centuries," Steve agreed, rolling off and settling on his back beside Danny.

Danny's mouth quirked in a grin. "Centuries, huh? I'm flattered. Wish I could say that."

Steve kissed him. "It's okay. You've got time. I bet a couple of centuries from now you'll say the same thing." Steve froze as he realized what that implied.

Danny didn't seem bothered, just lazily kissing back. "Centuries, huh? I like the sound of that."

So did Steve.

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A/N: I really had a lot of fun writing this whole story, but especially this chapter. It was fun to explore the vampire/werewolf dynamics throughout, but I think it really came out in the sex. It was interesting to play around with that on top of the male/male dynamic. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!


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